Does this actually work? You see it in ads all the time and I always wonder if any scammers are turned away by it? I doubt it.

 

I was just thinking the same thing a few days ago. As if a scammer is going to say, "it says no scammers so I better move on!"

 

As a legit car buyer when I'm searching for something those actually turn me away from those cars. Usually means the owner is completely unwilling to haggle or is otherwise a jerk usually. I can understand no trades. I've had to specify that in listings before. But the rest doesn't need to be typed and reflects a certain attitude that I don't much care to deal with.

 

Usually if I post an ad and don't say anything, I get a lot of trade offers. I just say "No thanks, I'm not interested in any trades" and move on.

If somebody puts "No lowballers" in an add, I make an offer and let it sit. Somebody local is selling an E21 for $1700, doesn't run, been for sale for at least 6 months. I offered him $1200 four months ago, stating it was based on a much nicer one that sold for $1200. He said "No Lowballing, I know what it's worth." I said, "it's only worth what somebody is will to pay for it. It's in really rouch shape, my offer still stands". Four months later, it's still listed at $1700.

 

IMO, it depends on the seller... If an ad sits for quite a while - usually the seller is willing to come down in price. I see it all the time but never a guarantee.

 

"No lowballers" has got to be the most annoying thing to read on an ad as a buyer. Just makes it sound like you don't want to work with the buyer on the price.

 

I got so sick of "email me your lowest price" I put this in my adds

"do not call or text and ask best price without even looking at it"

 

I can agree with that. When I get that question I politely tell them I will not do any negotiating until they have looked at the vehicle. If they insist then I tell them the least I will take is whatever I listed it at to begin with.

 

I always ignore ads that don't include an asking price.

How much someone wants for what they're selling is pretty important information to exclude.

 

I see the reasoning behind no lowballers on CL. Not sure why being firm on price is a turn off, just makes the buying process and stated price more realistic.

I'll haggle on price w/o a problem, but I'd rather have a realistic firm price posted.

 

Without defining "lowballer" in your ad it has zero meaning. Is it 5% , 10 or 20%. It just makes it harder for some people to make an offer, which in the end might be acceptable to both parties.

 

Do you really think that a scammer or a person willing to break the law will follow the rules?!
It like shopping for a house....
If the price they have is unreasonable... don't even bother.
Usually there is another factor....like a loan on the car, even a non-runner and they NEED the $$ to pay it off to get the title.
But you have nothing to loose as a buyer other than frustration....
After a few months the value drops...some folks just don't understand ...
They are wait for the famous scam...
Tell ya what....I'll pay full price....cash the cashiers check I send ya...I am out of town on an extended bussiness trip and that is the perfect car, I don't want too miss it...... keep it for 5 whole days to prove its real after you cash it....then use the difference to drop off the car at my shipper....I'llet you keep 10% extra...and they think it is a REAL deal when they get the e-mail ....
The no "trades" is useful....some folks will try to scrounge up a deal..."I got firewood, " babby cloths, and a week at a timeshare in Ohio.....more of a commuter car or pickup thing....lol...it happens

 

Anything that can be foreseen as a waste of time, something unreasonable.

This wasn't with a car in my last experience but I was selling briefly used high end coilovers from my NB Miata.

Retail was $2,100 and I had them up for $1,400 firm. Several on the forum commented that it was a good deal. A guy PM'd me and said "don't mean to lowball but would you take $600?"

I just replied no. It's a waste of both our time. I sold them with other suspension bits that would have totaled $1,650 for $1,600 and guy came from 3 hours away to me.

 

No, it absolutely does not work. It's also amazing how many people don't even read the ad.

A few years ago I listed my Outback on CL. I posted *lots* of pictures and *lots* of detailed information about the car - only to have people ask, "how many miles are on it?" Me: "Ummm . . . it says right there it has 121,234."

I had to start putting this in my ad too: "If you are reading this ad, then the car is still for sale. I will remove the ad when the car sells." In other words, "Stop calling just to ask if it's still for sale!"

 

Now that one's useful

 

At least you pull your ads. I had scrolling through ads where the owner edits the title to say "Sold". Some times I send an email asking if it is still for sale. If they respond and say yes it did, I tell them you should delete the ad instead of editing it.

 

Yeah I don't understand that. It takes less work to just delete the ad than to edit it to say sold.

 

There are a lot of items in the market place that I go through, and see is listed as sold. Click delete please! I try not to low ball people, but I will offer a lower price if it has been listed for a while. And I'm usually very willing to meet in the middle of what the seller is looking for. I'm looking for a deal if I'm searching for something used.

 

I'd shy away from an ad with peevish complaints about low ballers or tire kickers. Also ads that whine "don't ask me if it's still available". It's all just telling me that the seller finds people annoying and will probably be a pain to deal with, like a hungry toddler.

If I really wanted it and the price was really good, I might go put up with the hungry toddler and their attitude, but only after I'd looked elsewhere.

If your asking price is firm, say "firm". If somebody makes a lower offer, politely say "no thank you". If you say OBO, then be prepared for some low offers. You asked for it.

Never say "firm" and "best offer" in the same ad. Unless you're playing some kind of dumb and dumber ploy of the Jedi master negotiators. All that weird stuff is beyond me: I play it straight when I buy and when I sell. When you advertise to the general public, expect to hear from the general public, which includes people who don't know much about cars or have much experience buying them. Deal with it cheerfully.

After it's gone, take your ad down.

Having somebody else sell it for you on consignment is a totally valid option if you really can't deal with it.

 

Well stated Dennis.

Did you forget, "i'm not in a hurry to sell"?

 

Do you take checks from Nigerian Royal Family Members?

 

you should state how often you sell cars, maybe your experience is different from mine, I've sold 4 in the past year

I get 10 emails that ask if its still for sale, 1 of which results in a follow up reply.

I got tired of that, I put in the adds if it's listed its still for sale and it cut down on some of the question, if someone chose to ignore the add because of that I am ok with it, I probably don't want to waste time with them. Time is money and dealing with those 9 emails is a waste of my time

 

1. Maybe you have totally valid reasons for being in a bad mood. All I know when I read "DON'T ASK ME IF IT'S STILL AVAILABLE!!!!" is "somebody needs a hug". As a buyer, I'm inclined to look elsewhere before I talk to the guy in a bad mood.

2. The reason you get 10 emails is because those buyers have been told 10 times "nope, car [or bike, or big green egg] sold last week. sorry". They're sick of it too. The blame is with people who don't take their ad down. Why? Usually because they don't know how, because they don't sell stuff very often. It's kind of how life is. It annoys me too but showing my annoyance doesn't help anybody. Doesn't help sell my car. Unless I'm a Jedi? Maybe.

3. 10 emails is not that many, really. Just paste in a polite reply. Or ignore them if you really don't want to spend any time on the. One hundred or 1,000 emails would be a problem, though at that point you could write a rule to filter them. Like a Jedi.

The main point is, most buyers and most sellers are not very experienced. Most of them sell from 0 to 1 cars every five years or so. Maybe 1 or 2 bikes or lawn mowers every few years. They don't know what they're doing.

 

Bad mood? I'm never in a bad mood I just don't have time to deal with those people so it goes in every listing

 

People reading your ad don't know you. All they know about you is the impression you create with your ad. When they see complaints, warnings, and don't do this and don't do that, it gives the impression that this stranger has a lot of tripwires that will set them off. Whether it's true you're in a bad mood or not, it gives that impression.

It could be that filtering out leads with this type of ad works and you end up selling your stuff faster at a higher price. I have no way to know. All I'm saying is the message I read from this type of ad. All else being equal, I'm less likely to answer ads like that.